Photographic camera.



A. Mcl. MAXWELL.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. 1911.

1,291,994.. Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an; 21, 1919.

Application filed April 9, 1917. Serial No. 160,756.

I film to the field of exposure of the lens To all whom it may concern: J

Be it known that I, ARCHI-BALD MCINTYRE MAXWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have-invented new and useful Improvements in Photographic Cameras, of which the following is a specification. Q The present invention relatesto improvements in photographic cameras,- and more those of the class adapted to produce a series of exposures successively upon a sensitized film. The primary 0bect of the lnvention is to provide for after each exposure has sured, the feeding means preferably acting automatically to advance the film after each exposure. In consequence, the operation of the camera in making exposures is greatly facilitated and liability of mak' than one exposure upon the same portion of the film is avoided.

To these and other ends,the invention consists in certain improvements, and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be' hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly the end of the specification. t e accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a general view, partly in sec-' holding or film cameration, of a roll equipped with film feeding or advancing means embodying the present invention.

ig. 2 represents a lm advancing means.

Fig. 3 represents a section through the advancing means in a plane'transverse to the axis of the film winding spool.

- ig. et is a detail sectional view of one corner of the camera showing thie film adtion of the film a vancing mechanism.

S1m1lar parts are designated by the same re erenc'e character's m'the several views.

he present invention is applicable generally' toso-call'ed roll holding or film cameras, and more especially to the type wherein a length of sensitized film is unwoundfi-om one spool and wound upon another spool to feed a fresh portion of face view, partly in. section, of the mechanism comprising theafter each exposure has been made, the portion of the film to be exposed occupying a position between the two spools. fore, it has been necessary in cameras of such class to manuall wind the film upon the winding spool afier each exposure in order to bring afresh portion of the film into the field of exposure of the lens, and this operation of winding the film required not only manual manipulation by the photographer or user of the camera, but it depended upon the [memory of the photographer or user of the camera and,. upon failure to Wind the film to bring a fresh portion thereof into the field of exposure of the lens, a double exposure upon the same portion of the film usually resulted, 0ccasioning a waste of that portion of the film and the loss ofsuch pictures. The present invention provides the feeding-of a fresh portlon of the film de, thus avoiding more than one exposure of each portion film. and.- obviating the inconvenience of manually winding, the film after each ex- The preferred embodiment of the It is to be understood, that the invention is not particular construction shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplated and will be included within the scope of the claims. I In the present embodiment of the invention, 1. designates generally the body of a camera of the roll holding type, the body aving spool chambers 2 and 3 in. its opposite ends, the chamber 2 being adapted to receive the spool 4 which contains the fresh and from which spool the film is adapted to be unwound, and the chamber 3 containing the spool 5 upon which the exposed portions of the fihn are to be wound. he part ofthe film to be exposed spans the space between the spools, as usual in cameras of this type, and the exposures of the film are effected through the medium of a lens 6 which is provided with the usual or any suitable type of shutter 7 capable of making so-called instantaneous or snapshot ,an time exposures, the shutter sh own being of the dial 8 which may be type having a Hcretorestricted to the casing 9 and extends from the exterior through thecasing and to the interior of the camera, the inner end of this shaft having a cross-bar or key 11 adapted to engage 1n the usual key slots formed in the end of the spool, and the end of the shaft 10 is adapted to engage in a recess in the end of the spool to center the latter, this arrangement being similar to that usually employed for the ordinary roll holding camera.

film winding and spool centering key of the The outer end of the shaft 10 has an operating handle .12, and a ratchet 13 may be provided similar to the ratchet usually employed on film winding keys toprevent backward rotation of the film winding spool. A pinion '14 is loosely mounted on the shaft 10, it being held from longitudinal displacement relatively to the shaft by the bearings '15 and 16 of the casing, and this pinion is provided in the present instance with key slots 17. The shaft 10 has a central longitudinal bore 18 which extends to its outer end, and a pin 19 is fitted into said how and is movable longitudinally therein. This pin 19 carries a key 20 which extends through slots 21 formed in the shaft 10, and the outer ends of thekey are adapted to engage in the key slots 17 of the pinion 14 when the pin 19 oocupies its inner position, and when the pin 19 is drawn outwardly, the key 20 will pass out of the key slots 17 in the pinion, the slots 21 in the shaft 10 being elongated to permit such movement. The pinion 14 meshes or cooperates with a gear 22, the latter being keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft 23, and

'the shaft 23 is journaled or mounted in the casing 9 at one side of the shaftlO. A spring 24 is provided for winding the film upon th winding spool 5, one end of this spring being. fixed to the casing, as at 25, and its opposite end being fixed'to the shaft 23 carrying the gear The outer end of the shaft 23 is provided with a handle 26 adapted for use in the winding of the. springv 24. The outer end of the pin 19 is also provided with a handle or milled head 27 which isadapted to serve as means for Withdrawing and restoring the pin 19. Rotation of the gear 22 under the action of the spring 24 is controlled by a detent, that shown comprising a plunger 28 which is fitted to reciprocate in a guide 29, and the plunger is no rmally pressed into cooperative relation with the gear 22 by a spring 30 located behind the plungen' The detent or plunger operates in a helical groove 31 formed in the adjacent side of the gear 22, a shoulder 32 gen. While the plunger is in its lnnermost position and in engagement with the shoulder in the groove 31, the gear 22 Wlll be held from rotation, but when the plunger is retracted sufiiciently toclear the shoulder'32, the gear22 is permitted to rotate under the influence of the spring 24 until the shoulder 32 again comes against the plunger 28, whereupon rotation of the gear 22 will be interrupted.

According to the present invention, means is provided whereby the detent or plunger 28, which controls the advancement of the film, is actuated or retracted in such relation to the means which produces the exposure by admitting light to the film that retraction of-the detent or plunger to cause advancement of the film naturally follows or is a part of the operation of producing an exposure. Preferably, and as shown in the present instance, thedetent or plunger is operated by a lever 33 which is pivoted in the casing 9 at '34 and is operatively connected at 35 to a flexible wire 36, this wire being of suitable length and inclosed within a flexible sheath 37, and the oppo site end of the wire is provided with a handle or button 38 located adjacent .to a ahand-piece 39, the wire 36 and sheath 37 beingsimilar to the well known Bowden' hand-piece 39, and a wire 41, one end of which is connected to the exposure-producing part of the shutter 7 and the opposite end of the wire is provided with a handle or button 42. the film advancimc means is located adjacent to the hand-piece 39 and immediatelybehind and in the path of the button 42 whichactuates the shutter to produce an exposure.

The mode of operation of the invention may be described, briefly. as follows :A. spool containing a fresh film is introduced in the usual way into the spool chamber 2, and the outer end of the film cartridge is connected to the winding spool 5 in the chamber 3 of the camera. In order that the film cartridge maybe Wound'upon thewinding spool 5 to an extent suflicient to bring the first section of the film into position for ex posure'by the lens, the pin 19 is withdrawn by pulling outwardly upon the handle or milled head 27, the key 20 being thereby disengaged from the pinion 14 and the shaft The button 38 which controls the shaft 10.

- of the film 'return to its former 10, is then free to be rotated in the proper direction by manipulation of its handle 12 to wind the film upon the spool While the pin 19 is withdrawn, the film-actuating spring 24 may be wound by rotating the shaft 23 through the medium of its handle 26, the detent or plunger 28 then acting as a ratchet which permits motion of the gear in a direction to wind the spring. \Vhe'n the film has been: advanced sufficiently to bring the'first section thereof in position for exposure and the spring. has been wound, the pin 19 is returned or moved inwardly to the position where the key 20 thereon engages in the key slots 17 of the pinion 14, the latter being then coupled or connected to e camera is then in conditron for use, and by. appropriately setting the shutter, instantaneous or snapshot exposures and also 'so-called time exposures may be made. If it is desired to make a instantaneous exposure, the shutter 15 so set, and it is only necessary for the photographer or user of the camera to to its full extent of movement. The first part of the movement of the button 42-will, in the usual way, operate the shutter to effect the exposure, and the latter part of the movement, or the continued movement of the button 42,'Will cause the button 38 to move with it. The movement so imparted to the button 38 will cause thewire 36 to act on the lever 33, the

interrupted by the reengagement of the detent or plunger 28 with the shoulder 32, and the rotary movement of latter causing winding movement of the spool 5. If a so-called time exposure is desired, the shutter is set accordingly, as is usual with the ordinary shutter, but the button 42 is pressed or moved toward the hand-piece 39 only to an extent sufficient to cause opening of the shutter, the button 42 being permitted. to

position and the exposure is terminated by a second pressure upon the button 42. he second pressure upon the button42, however, will be sufficient to bring it against the button 38 and to move this latter button toward the handpiece 39. In consequence, thedetent 28 will release the gear 22, and the latter acting under the influence of the spring 24 will wind the film. Ineither'case, the film is ad vanced immediately after an exposure has been made, thereby winding the exposed section of the film and bringing a fresh portion in position for exposure.

g I posure and subsequently by operative independently of advancing means, and a shutter It is to be understood that the ratio of the gears let and 22 will be determined according to the length of the section of film to be exposed, and that the ratio of these gears may be varied to suit the requirements of different cameras. After all the sections of the film have been exposed, the pin 19 from the pinion l4, and the shaft 10 may then be turned by the handle 12 to complete the winding of the film upon the spool 5. The exposed film may then. be removed, in the usual way, from the camera.

I claim as my invention 1. In a photographic camera having means for advancing sensitized surfaces to exposition, and a shutter for causmg exposures of said surfaces, the combination of a shutter actuating member, and a member for controlling operation of said advancing means, the shutter actuating member being operative independently of the member controlling the film advancing meansand the shutter actuating member eing also operative in a given direction to first actuate the shutter and by further movement in the same direction to subsequently actuate the member controlling said advancing means.

2. In a photographic camera for advancing sensitized material to effect successive exposures thereof, 'and a shutter for causing such exposures, the comhaving means movement thereof in the same direction to release for operation'the advancing means for the sensitized material, and one of said members being also the other member to actuate the shutter without causing operation ofsaid advancing means.

In a photographic camera having means for advancing sensitized material for successive exposuresthereof, and a shutter such exposures, the combination of a: member operative initially by movement thereof in one direction to actuate the shutter to produce an exposure, and a memer operative subsequently by movement of the shutter operating member n the same vancing means for the sensitized material, the shutter actuating member being also capable of actuation independently of the member second mentioned.

In a photographic camera having film for producing successive exposures on the film, the combination of a member controlling operation of the film advancing means, and a shutter actuator operative initially by movement thereof in one direction to actuate the shutter to produce an exposure and operative either by a second actuation thereof or by a continued movement thereof in the same direction, to actuate the member controlling the film advancing means.

5. In-a photographic camera having means normally tending to advance 'a film, and

a shutter for controlling. exposure of the film, the combination of means controlling operation of the film advancing means, and means movable in a given direction for initially controlling the shutter and by a further movement in the same direction 'for subsequently governing operation of the controlling means for the film advancing means.

6; In a photographic camera having means normally active to advance a film, and

a shutter for controlling exposure of the matic means for advancing a film, and exposure producing means therefor, the combination of a reciprocable controlling button for effecting actuation of the film ad- I vancing means, and a reciprocable shutter controlling button adjacent to and movable toward and from'the film controlling button, said shutter controlling button being reciprocable independently of the film controlling button to actuate the-shutter to cause an exposure and also being recipro- IIGSSBS.

cable in unison with said film controlling button to cause advancement ofthe film.

8. 'In a photographic camera having means normally tending to advance a film to bring portions thereof successively into exposing position, and exposure controlling means for the film, the combination of means controlling the operation of the film advancing means, and means operative when moved in one direction to actuate the exposure controlling meansv independently of the controlling means for the film advancv ing means and also operative by a single movement in said direction to actuate the a controlling means for the exposure controlling means and the film advancing means.

9. In a photographic camera having spring actuated means for advanclng a SGIISItIZBd medium, a detent controlling the operation thereof, and exposure controlling means, the combination of a'member for actuating the detent to cause operation of the film advancing means and a member having one range of movement in a given direction wherein it is operative to actuate the exposure controlling means and having another range: of

movement in the same direction wherein it is operative to actuate the exposure controlling means and also the detent-actuating member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribingwit- 7 Autumn) MGINTYRE MAXWELL? Witnesses: i 4 I WM. WHEFFINGWELL, NICHOLAS H. KILEY. 

